Changing Perspective
by RaeForGryffindor
Summary: While history may not change, perspectives can always be altered. DM/HG
1. Early Mornings

**A/N:** This story is taking place during their third year at Hogwarts. I in no way, shape, or form own any part of Harry Potter, their characters, story lines, or anything else related to HP. Thank you for checking out my story!

 **Early Mornings**

6:32.

His alarm clock was not even awake yet when his mother glided into his room. The bright sun shown through his eyelids as his mother waved her wand to pull his curtains back. He attempted to cover his face with his black satin sheets but they vanished within his grasp.

"It is time to rise, my dear. Father will be up soon and you must be ready to greet him." He could hear the fear in her voice. He didn't want to see him either. Ever since he started at Hogwarts he hated returning to the Manor. The walls seemed to carry more secrets each time he returned.

"Mum...it is not even seven yet. You know father doesn't wake before nine-"

"But it is the last day to go and retrieve your school supplies," Narcissa interrupted. He stared blankly at his mother. "Please, get dressed so that we are ready when your father is ready." At this last statement she turned on her heels and glided out of his room down the hall. Was it really time to go back? Back to his half brained entourage and the painfully annoying Gryffindor trio? He exhaled, dragged his feet to his bathroom and began getting ready. He smirked in the mirror after drying his face off with a dark emerald towel. At least he doesn't have a hideous scar across his forehead.

At nine his father came down to join them for breakfast. Draco continued to look at his food and avoid any sort of conversation with his father. They had been drifting apart and Lucius seemed too preoccupied in his mind to want to talk to his son anyways. They finished their meal in silence, occasionally hearing one of the house elves scurry past to clean up fallen food or to pick up the Daily Prophet Lucius carelessly dropped on the floor. As Draco went to stand up his father gave him a look that went straight through his body. His father's cold eyes made him uneasy and he was unsure how his father expected him to act. He sat back down without breaking eye contact. Sitting up straight he tried to fight the urge to look down at his lap.

"Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban. They have even informed the muggle world. What a pathetic group of individuals. Can't even contain one person and expect a bunch of low scum to help with their search. Sad excuse of a ministry we have. If I was in the ministry..." He trailed off and got lost in his thought. Draco still could not read how to respond so he sat quietly, waiting to see if he could read any of his father's cues. Suddenly his father's cold eyes were back on him. "We must go to Diagonal Alley to get your school supplies. I hope we don't run into any scum there either."

"I wish to not run into the Weasley family either. Everyone from that family is bloody annoying" Draco scoffed as he searched his father's eyes for approval. With no response he stood up from the table and excused himself. He went up to his room, changed into a fitted black shirt and jeans, and packed his wand in his pocket. He arrived downstairs to hear his dad mumbling crazily about work he had to finish. After the awkward breakfast with his family he was more than happy to spend some time with only his mother. He pushed open the heavy oak door to find his mother bowing to Lucius as he apparated away. Narcissa quickly straightened up and returned to her poised self. "Shall we head to Madam Malkin's first?"

* * *

After thirty minutes of fitting for new robes, over an hour in Flourish and Blotts waiting for the manager to control his new Care for Magical Creatures book, and twenty minutes in a store for Narcissa to admire enchanted jewelry he was ready for a break. He had only seen Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs so he really could not complain too loudly. But as he sat down at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor he knew his day was doomed. All he wanted was a nice peaceful day with his mother before leaving again for four months but the Gryffindors always ruin everything.

"Why would buy that _thing_ after it tried to kill Scabbers!?" He could hear Ron screaming and already had a headache. Some witty comments came to mind but he decided to keep his mouth full of ice cream and tried to ignore them. He was making side glances trying to not make it obvious. Harry was his normal self, trying to calm Ron down about...well everything. Ron was exploding at Granger who looked as if she could care less about Ron's feelings and...she looked different. Did she get taller? Or maybe she changed her hair. The normal lion's mane was gone and soft, subtle curls were in its place. She looked pretty good for a, "mudblood" he whispered under his breathe. He quickly noticed his mother's facial expression. He stared for too long. "Now Draco," she started quietly. "That is no way to talk about a lady." She was half smirking and his stomach felt queasy. "Mum, you can't possibly imagine I would find anything about her attractive. She's annoying, cares too much about her grades, and is a mud blood. There is no way!"

"Oh stop being like your father, Draco. While blood lineage is important it is okay to have _feelings_. Just don't act on them. She has _feelings_ too you know. She is still a human being."

"Stop it,mother. Do not start to fill your head with stupid ideas of me liking someone like _that._ " Draco spat, now feeling too sick to finish his ice cream. Why was he having this conversation with his mother? She didn't understand what it was like to have Granger in class. Hand always raised, always knowing the answers, teachers always praising her. At least he had Snape on his side. At least he understood what he was talking about.

Finally the Golden Trio left and he felt relief. He quickly changed the subject and started talking to his mom about a new broomstick he saw in a shop window. After pleading he gave up, accepting defeat since he did get a new broom last year.

After a few quick stops in random stores they arrived back at the Manor. He brought his things to his room and decided to start packing his books in his trunk. He removed various articles from last year and placed them either in the trash or in a safe place. He placed his new robes, books, parchment, and other supplies in his trunk. He found his permission form to Hogsmeade on his desk and quickly shoved it into one of the pockets of his new robes. He found a few Galleons in the pocket which he quietly thanked his mother. Closing the trunk with a lock he collapsed on his bed. As he began drifting to sleep his mind began to wander back to Granger and how she had changed. She couldn't use a magical charm to make herself look better. Maybe she was using one of those weird heat contraptions he saw in a beauty shop while walking through muggle London. Or maybe she was starting to wear makeup. He quickly shot up and shook his head. _No more thoughts of Granger_ , he mumbled as he took one hand through his hair.

"It is dinner time, dear" Narcissa spoke softly with a smile. Draco rolled his eyes and shifted his weight to his feet. As he exited the room he stared strongly at his mother. "Not a word to father" he pointed fearing what she might say. "Draco, dear. I may not look too bright but I do understand your father's feelings towards...certain people. Your secret is safe with me." She finished with a wink. His stomach began twisting once more dreading his last few hours at home. He began counting down the minutes until they would reach Platform 9 and 3/4 and he could escape the torment of his mother's cheerful attitude toward him.

 **A/N:** Thank you for reading my first chapter...ever! Any reviews would be fantastic. Thanks a million!

-Rae


	2. Hogwarts Express

**The Hogwarts Express  
**

Draco lay wide awake at two in the morning, staring at his ceiling. The minutes were ticking by so slowly; he was waiting until his mother would come to wake him. His usual attempts at distractions were not helping get his mind off Granger. He tried to ignore his memories from earlier that day, but they kept haunting him. The way her soft brown hair cascaded down her back, her muggle style clothing, her perfectly smooth skin. He managed to persuade himself that he found the way she looked attractive, not her personally. His mother at dinner didn't help either. She kept glancing at him and smirking, as if she now had a secret she knew she couldn't keep. His father seemed oblivious as usual. Whatever he did earlier that day was still drawing on his mind. Suddenly he looked up and decided he was interested in Narcissa and Malfoy's discussion.

"You bought _what_ book for Care of Magical Creatures? Who is teaching that class? That book should never be allowed on school grounds. What was Dumbledore thinking? I voted against that oaf teaching any classes! If that Hagrid does anything wrong, boy, if he steps one toe out of line you contact me immediately. He will be gone before November, I tell you. Dumbledore has no control of that school. First the dementors and now this? If I was head master..."

At this point Draco was no longer paying attention to his father. His eyes fell on his mother who looked even paler than normal. Yes, it did take a while for the manager to get the book out of the cage but did it really terrify her that much? Even if Hagrid was the professor he would teach them how to manage the book. But then it dawned on him, the dementors. He was just as terrified as she was about them. He could see tears begin to form. She was fighting back so many reasons to let them fall. She already felt like she was losing her husband to the fight for purity. Now she had to worry about losing her son too. He was supposed to be safe at Hogwarts. She gained her composure quickly and began talking about their visit to Diagon Alley. The closer it came to talk about their break from shopping the more nervous he became. As she was sharing the story with Lucius she seemed to skip over Florean Fortescue's. They began discussing different necklaces she spotted at one of the shops. His mother and father kept discussing her findings as he excused himself to leave. As he walked past his mother her motives were only obvious to Draco.

"That simple emerald and pearl necklace would be perfect for someone who matched its beauty."

And yet, it was still too early to get up and get ready. His alarm clock read a quarter past three. He allowed himself to fall asleep thinking about the necklace his mother mentioned and what it would look like on different girls he knew, both Slytherins and a particular Gryffindor.

* * *

6:29.

He was glad to wait for his mother to come and wake him. After ten minutes had passed he gave up and decided he would get up on his own. He slowly pulled himself up to sit at the edge of his luxurious bed. He knew the bed at Hogwarts would feel like rocks compared this. He soaked in a few more moments and groaned as he rubbed his face with his palms. He slowly rose to his feet and attempted to see through the darkness. He strained his eyes and reached out using his hands to help guide him towards the bathroom. He was just thinking about how he was going to miss his mother waking him up at precisely-

"Mum! Why is it always so bloody bright; and why are you late!?" He quickly covered his eyes with his forearms as his mother charmed the curtains back. He lost his balance and stumbled backwards over his trunk. "Oof, ouch!" His mother let out a slight chuckle and looked out his window to the garden. "It is time to get ready, my dear" she started before he was even to his feet. "We can go to the Leaky Cauldron for breakfast before heading to King's Cross. I also want to make a quick stop in Diagon Alley." She began to giggle and blush at this last statement. She glided out of the room letting him know he had ten minutes. He dragged his feet toward his bathroom taking everything in one more time. His large room with emerald walls, the white marble in his bathroom, the black dresser that was covered in random items he's been collecting since he started at Hogwarts, and the mahogany wood panels that covered his floor. He washed his face and dressed into jeans and a black shirt. He quickly threw an extra set of his emerald towels into his trunk before heading towards the door. With one final glance over everything he shut his door behind him and headed for the large oak doors.

* * *

Narcissa was already by the fire place when Draco made his way down the stairs. They would travel by floo powder to Diagon Alley. They were walking down the almost empty streets when his mother started looking in the windows. "Ah, here we are. Draco, I will meet you at the Leaky Cauldron. I need to stop here very quickly." Draco was hesitant but he did as his mother asked. He entered the pub and immediately regretted his choice. He quickly turned around as he heard a thump towards his feet. He shot around to see her big brown eyes staring at him. He attempted to fix what had happened but he kept making it worse.

"I'm, uh, sorry about that. Here let me help-" he was struggling to find words to make a complete thought. He picked up her small frame and helped her pick up the books that scattered the floor. She never removed her eyes from him. She seemed confused and was unsure how to react to his new behaviors. They both stood up and stared at each other. After a few more moments of silence he couldn't take it anymore. "Granger, just because I'm a Slytherin doesn't mean I don't have manners. Just watch where you're going next time, alright?" He knew he was staring too long again. He broke their gaze first and slipped outside. His heart was beating fast, unsure what to do. He saw his mother walking with a little black bag towards him. He met her halfway trying to ignore what had just happened.

"We can't eat there. It's too crowded. Let's go get scones from that muggle bakery near the station. I have some muggle money that you gave me a while back. I could really go for one of those scones..." He was hoping he wasn't sounding too desperate. His mother's expressions proved he failed. He could tell she saw straight through his attempts to avoid embarrassment. He stood up taller trying to gain confidence. Narcissa shook her head softly and placed her hand on her son's shoulder. He exhaled loudly as they walked away from the pub. At least his mother understood how he was feeling. His father would disown him if he discovered he had found anything about a mud blood attractive.

* * *

He just realized he didn't know where his father was; he didn't miss his other two departures to Hogwarts. They approached the Papillon Rose and he could smell the bakery's delicious goods. They sat at a small wooden table and he couldn't help but ask, "So where is father? He was here the other years." He felt relief when his mother's expressions did not change. "He decided to have a meeting with the governors. He is very concerned about your safety and a new professor. If you wish, he can come to the platform-"

"No," he interrupted abruptly. "I mean, it's okay. He doesn't care for muggle food anyways." The topic was dropped quickly and they began talking about what classes he was hoping to take this year. Of course he loved his potions class but he was more interested in who would join them for the class. The past two years was with Gryffindors and he secretly hoped it stayed the same this year. After thirty minutes they decided it was time to go to the station. Narcissa made her way towards the door and Draco noticed the little black bag by her chair. He picked it up for her and as they walked outside he tried to give it back to her. "Draco, this is for you. I want you to open it when there is no one else around. It is very important to read how it works. You are welcome, dear." She finished with a soft smile and he already could tell she was up to something. He shoved the two small boxes in his pockets and threw the bag away.

They arrived to the platform with just enough time to say goodbye. He was not ready to leave her but he knew it was inevitable. He gave his mother one final hug and kiss on the cheek and promised to write. He found an empty compartment and lifted his trunk over his head in storage. He sat down and closed his eyes. He felt a slight shift of the train and they were off. He began rubbing a small, black velvet box between his fingers. His deep thoughts were interrupted by his two cronies. "'Ey, Crabbe, I found him!" Goyle was shouting at the top of his lungs. He quickly rose to his feet and let the boxes fall deep into his pockets. "Alright now, Goyle. No need to shout. You found me, congratulations." Crabbe and Goyle lacked the ability to sense sarcasm as both showed up grinning ear to ear. "I knew we'd find you sooner or later!" Crabbe shouted a few feet away from Draco. "Alright, alright you two. Hush it down. Just get in here so we can figure out what we can do to annoy Potter and Weasel before we get to Hogwarts. I want to start off on the right foot." He smirked as they closed the compartment door and began plotting how to piss off the Trio before arriving at school.

 **A/N:** Let me know what you think! Thanks in advance for leaving a review.  
-Rae


	3. The Necklace

**The Necklace**

Draco finally got Crabbe and Goyle to scurry off. He pretended as if he hadn't eaten all day. While they were plotting their little tricks he never removed his hand from his coat pocket. He continued to gently massage the velvet covered boxes between his fingers. He was trying to decipher his mother's words. Why was it so critical that he opened them in secret? They were probably a pair of new cuff links he was eyeing earlier that week. Or maybe it was a secret weapon to help defend himself from the Dementors. No matter what it was he could no longer concentrate on tormenting the three perfect Gryffindor's. Once he could tell they were fully out of sight he closed his compartment door and locked it. He pulled the blinds and sat on the floor. He pulled out the two small boxes and placed them on the bench. He stared at one for a minute and then the other. After taking a deep exhale he decided to open the box on the left first.

Draco slowly peaked into the box to see a simple small paperweight. It was an emerald green rock that was slightly larger than a Galleon. He slid the emerald into his palm and examined it more closely. Why was this such a secret? He kept looking for a symbol but nothing was appearing. He lazily opened up the second box and stared confused. It was the emerald and pearl necklace from yesterday. He now knew his mother was up to something. He was looking for a marking on the rock to explain what it was. He knew they were meant to be together but it was unclear how they worked together. As he slowly rubbed his thumb over the rock he heard a loud bang. Draco accidentally dropped the rock and fell on his back. Goyle broke the lock and he forced his way into the compartment.

"Oi, Draco. Why are you on the ground?" Goyle's face was dumbfounded. Draco could feel the red heat from his cheeks as his anger began to boil. Then it hit him. He had his back against the window wall now. He looked up at Goyle and his face turned from red to white. He followed Goyle's eyes and landed on the emerald rock. He scrambled to hit feet but it was too late. Goyle grabbed the rock and began examining it. "Where did you get this? And who has the other piece?" Draco looked at him puzzled. How did he know more about this than he did? He attempted to straighten his face so Goyle did not notice. "It's just a paperweight; my mother gave it to me." Draco attempted to grab it from him again. Goyle simply stuck out his free hand to stop Draco from coming closer. "It is so much more than a paperweight, Draco. This is a KnowItAll. My dad has one but I've never seen one like this." Goyle began rubbing the rock in different what seemed like forever the rock began shifting.

"Alright, I got it open. Do you have a small piece of the rock anywhere?" Draco could feel his hand being drawn towards the necklace. He needed to change the subject so Goyle didn't know what he had. "I've got nothing; all I have is this rock." He could now tell that Goyle was beginning to lose interest. He tossed the rock back to Draco. "Go find Crabbe. I'm ready to annoy Potter." Goyle quickly skipped away down the train humming some tune. Once out of ear shot, Draco quickly locked the door again and closed the blinds. He fumbled the necklace out of his pocket and carefully placed it into the rock. It began to glow an intense bright green and a tune was slowly getting louder and louder. Draco tried to conceal the rock to buffer the sounds but it was no use. He frantically looked out into the hallway but no one else seemed to hear the tune. When he thought it couldn't get any worse the rock began to sing.

"I am now your KnowItAll  
Together we will have a ball  
Think of who you want to spy  
Don't be scared; let's give it a try!"

Draco stared dumbfounded. All he had to do was think of who he wanted to spy on. Who did he want to spy on? Why did his mother give him this, especially if she knew this was a KnowItAll? His thoughts were cut off-

"I don't have all day you know. Think of someone. Come on, let's go!"

 _Hermione Granger_. She was the first person that came to mind. He almost immediately regretted this.

"Hermione Granger! You shall be able to spy on Hermione Granger! Now hand her my necklace so we can start having fun!" The rock was no longer glowing. It returned to its smooth original self so the necklace no longer fit inside. He wasn't sure what to believe. He didn't even know that this sort of item was possible. He could hear his two hunchmen returning so he quickly closed the necklace back into one of the boxes and kept the rock in his pocket.

"Sorry, Draco. I couldn't find the lunch trolley but I found the snack trolley! Want some chocolate frog?" Crabbe was covered in chocolate. He had clearly eaten three already and was about to finish his fourth. "Come on, boys. It's time to piss of Potter and Weasley." Draco smirked as they walked toward the last compartment of the train, Crabbe and Goyle following after him.

* * *

Draco marched towards Harry's compartment cracking jokes with his two escorts. They rounded the corner of the final door and invited themselves inside. Right as Draco was about to insult Ron he noticed a frail, sick looking old man sleeping against the window. Then his eyes slowly shifted to the brunette sitting across from him. Her big brown eyes stared back and he felt like he was sitting under water. There was no way to escape his feelings and he did not understand why he felt this attraction towards her. He stumbled through the next set of words hoping to get back on track of bullying the boys. Harry looked quite amused at Draco's lack of thinking straight. Crabbe and Goyle were unsure of Draco's actions and assumed he was nervous of having a teacher in the compartment. They nudged Draco causing him to regain composure. He played along and left the compartment hating himself for acting so foolish. _No girl makes a Malfoy act like this. Especially someone who is not as pureblood!_ he thought to himself.

They were about six compartments down when the trained started to slow down. The three of them looked at each other confused. "I bet a wheel broke. This train is too old anyways," Crabbe commented. Goyle began saying something but Draco was too distracted by what he saw outside. "You don't think those black things are-" Draco was quickly cut off by a sudden jolt of the train. "Everyone get into a compartment and lock the doors!" Draco shoved his two friends into the nearest door and locked the door. He could hear random screams coming from outside but he agreed with the others he would not open the door. The lights went out and Draco could feel the cold creeping in through the windows and cracks. He told himself not to break down, not in front of all these people. _Save it for when you are alone. Save every emotion for when you are alone_. His father's words continued to play through his head. He took deep breaths trying to control the quivering in his voice. He closed his eyes and remembered what his mother told him about Dementors. _They feed on positive emotions: happiness, joy, love. If one comes near you at Hogwarts you grab those memories and you never forget them. Do not ever forget about love_. Draco started working up a sweat focusing on his love for his mother. He ran through every moment at Diagon Alley to keep hold of that feeling. It was very silent and he began to shiver. Then it hit him. He felt the little black box add weight to his pocket. His mother knew something was going to happen and that Draco would worry about his new interest. He opened his eyes and saw everyone covering their faces with their arms. Through the moonlight he could barely make out where his friends were lying. There was a loud howling when one was not enveloped in their own emotions. He broke the latch open and slowly crawled over and around people to reach the last compartment. He saw so many people in the hallway covering their faces, some crying and others seemed unconscious. The lights flickered and Draco snapped back to his objective. He saw a large white glowing cloud push something away from the students and out the back of the train. He clambered towards the final compartment to see Ron still covering his face and the frail old man with his wand still out. He grabbed Hermione's arm and she turned towards him. Her face was as white as a ghost and looked as if she was about to get sick. Her eyes widened when she realized who was grabbing her.

"Are you alright?" Draco asked her as she stared in disbelief. "Are you okay? Hermione, just answer me. Are you hurt at all? Are you okay!?" Draco began to shake her arm and she finally started to blink. She slowly nodded her head and he let out a sigh of relief. Then he remembered about the necklace. How was he supposed to give it to her? He fumbled in his pocket for the little box and she seemed to let out a slight giggle. He looked back into her eyes as he handed her the box.

"What is this?" she asked as she opened the box. "This is...I can't...Are you sure?" She was not expecting a gift right now especially from a certain individual. "Hermione, please just take it. It suits you better than anyone else I know. It's simple and beautiful. Will you wear it?" The words just poured out of his mouth before he could think. He was panting heavily from all the commotion that just occurred within the last two minutes. With a slight nod and blushing cheeks she began to take it out of the case.

A noise came from the boy on the ground and she looked up at Draco quickly. She broke their eye contact and shoved the box into her own pocket. Before Draco could say anything she was gone. She was concerned over her friend's health and was no longer interested in what Draco had to say. He slipped away quietly feeling defeated. He returned to the compartment to find Crabbe and Goyle talking with the others. They seemed very relieved to see Draco and he hushed them back towards their private compartment. They stood outside the door and began discussing what had happened. Draco was mid sentence when he noticed a Gryffindor wearing a small pearl and emerald necklace walk by and brush his shoulder. She looked back at him but hurried off to find the snack trolley. "I need chocolate frogs! Does anyone have chocolate?"

 **A/N:** Sorry for the delay. Please read and review!  
-Rae


	4. Breakdowns and Run-Ins

**Breakdowns and Run-Ins**

"I just don't get it. Why are they even near us?"

"I bet it has something to do with that stupid Golden Boy. He always is caught up with trouble."

"Who was crying? Oh, no I was not crying. I don't cry."

"Did anyone else feel that cold? It was so deep to the bones. What is going on?"

Draco could barely make out who was asking questions. His mind was still uneasy about their recent encounter. The skies were a golden red when just a few minutes ago they were a dark and misty haze. He knew they would reach Hogwarts soon but he did not know how he was going to tell his mother about the attack. He could already hear his father ranting about Dumbledore and his lack of leadership. People around him continued to talk but his mind was not ready to talk yet. He had never felt so hopeless in his life.

"Guys, I just need a breather. I need a walk by myself. I'll be back soon." He slid his way between two Slytherins standing at the compartment door but it seemed like no one was paying attention. Everyone was so caught up in their own thoughts that he realized no one was watching him. As this thought sunk in he tucked his hands into his pockets, ducked his head down low, and walked quickly away from the group. Crabbe tried to follow but he told him to stay with everyone else. "We don't know if they are coming back and I can handle myself. Stay with everyone else, alright?" He knew that was a lie. He barely survived this attack without breaking down, he would never be lucky enough to stay strong if the dementor came back.

Draco travelled down three cars before he reached a breaking point. The memories were beginning to weigh on his mind but he knew he had to keep it together. He finally reached the bathroom when he shoved the door open then slammed it shut. He leaned against the solid door and allowed his body to slump to the ground. He slipped his fingers through his pale hair hoping to feel his mother's touch on his head. His eyes began to water and his lip started to quiver. He could feel his body breaking down and shaking uncontrollably. _Keep it together, you made it through_ , he told himself and he slowly rose from the floor. His legs felt numb as he supported most of his body with his arms. He struggled to reach the sink as he gripped the marble and stared at himself in the mirror. He was focusing on controlling his breathing when he noticed another person in the bathroom. It was too late to fix himself, the damage was done. Ron came around the corner and his eyes were wider than saucers.

"Are you truly crying?" Ron was in shock to see such raw emotions from Draco. Malfoys don't show emotions, especially deep ones. It was too late for Draco to try and cover up what happened. "Look, we all suffer in our own ways. Just let it go and don't say a word to anyone. That's the last thing I need right now." Ron suddenly puffed up his chest, "Suffer? You want to know what suffering is? Dealing with you for the past two years is suffering. The way you've treated me and my friends is suffering. You know nothing about what you have done to humiliate my family and friends. You didn't just fight off a dementor, we did. So stay away from us this year and we'll call it even. Deal?" Ron was still trying to act tough. Draco chuckled inside, _this is exactly what I needed to relax_. Draco fixed his hair in the mirror and slapped his cheeks to gain some color back into them. "You didn't fight off a dementor. The old man in your compartment did. I saw the same thing you did so don't try to label yourself as a hero." He took a step towards Ron, "I don't make deals with people like you." He managed to grin, fix his black shirt, and walk out of the bathroom. He turned right and took a few steps down the corridor. He waited for Ron to leave and see where he went. But before Ron left he felt a gentle touch on his right shoulder. He snapped his head around and was surprised to see her standing there.

Draco quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her into one of the darkened doorways. "What are you doing? Are you trying to cause panic in this car?" He didn't know how to handle his emotions right now. She began to get a panicked look on her face and he realized he was gripping her shoulders too tight. "'Mione, sorry. I didn't mean to grab you. This train ride has just been very...strange." Hermione gently rubbed the emerald on the necklace while avoiding his gaze. "I know, I just-I want to say thank you for checking on me. I've got a lot on my mind for the school year and I don't know how I'm going to do it all. And the boys only seem interested in what's going on in Harry's life. They haven't even asked me if I'm doing alright or how my summer was or noticed anything about me. It's just...thank you, I guess. I don't know." Hermione began to walk away when Draco gently pulled her back. "I like your hair?" He now felt stupid. _Really? You like her hair? That's what you go with?_ She looked down as she grabbed part of her hair near her ear. She locked eyes on the carpet and started to walk away. Draco sighed deeply and leaned on the wall as she walked away. As she transferred between cars reality set in. Draco quickly screened the car to see if anyone saw them talking. He then felt the rock in his pocket get heavy. He slipped back into the darkened doorway and pulled it out to see it glowing. People walked by but no one seemed to notice.

 _Did he really just say he likes my hair? Well at least someone noticed. He said the necklace is simple and beautiful...was he calling me simple minded!? Oh buddy, if that's the case I will need to remind him why I got highest marks in charms. A good hex might help jog his memory. It's weird for him to say beautiful though. Oh shoot! I need to find my choc-_

All the sudden the voices stopped. He could hear her as if she was standing there but it was clearly in his head. He did not know how he felt about his mother's gift but he knew what her intentions were. He shook a smile to his face, dropped the rock back into his pocket, and walked back to the Slytherin compartment. When he returned they all seemed to be recovering better and Draco could see the relief in Crabbe and Goyle. He slipped back into the compartment and kicked his feet up on to a seat. "Boys, we are going to have a great year. Guess who I saw having a nervous breakdown in the bathroom!?"


	5. Hogsmeade to Hogwarts

**Hogsmeade to Hogwarts**

10 minutes.

This was all the time Draco had until they arrived at the Hogsmeade station. He still felt his bones shaking silently from the dementor attack. He could feel the train begin to slow down, much more controlled than last time. "We need to get our robes on," spoke a quiet voice to his right. He looked at Blaise and shrugged his shoulders. He opened up the cloak closet and pulled out his robes. Draco kept the slim black shirt under his uniform and changed his pants and shoes. He checked his reflection in the window and slowly combed his white blonde hair to the side. He leaned into the window to check his eyes were not red when he saw her walk outside the train. She had on her red trimmed robe with the usual uniform. Yet she looked...different. Everything about her from the past two years was very different. Hermione looked up at the glass and her cheeks began to flush. She tucked a loose curl behind her ear and locked elbows with Ron and Harry before moving towards the castle. It took only a few moments but he instantly hated himself for it. He was becoming vulnerable and Malfoy's are not vulnerable. "She looks nice," a voice whispered in his ear again. He shot around with a horrid look on his face. "Bloody hell, Blaise! You don't know what you are talkin-" Blaise shook his head and laughed. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. Just don't let Pansy find out you are staring at her." He finished with a wink and nudged Draco to get his items together. He let out a sigh of relief and smirked at Blaise. If only he knew who he was truly watching.

As they made their way towards the carriages Draco noticed Harry stumbling around. Neville nudged through the Slytherins trying to reach his friends. "Sorry, excuse me, please move" Neville continued as he pushed his way forward. Draco looked over his shoulder and yelled back to him, "We can't go anywhere with your sad excuse of a friend up ahead!" Neville caught up to Draco and began to ramble on as he continued to push through the crowd. "You know he fainted, right? That thing tried to take his soul. I saw it rising right up out of him. I mean, someone told me that. It was cold and it felt like all happiness was gone but yeah, no wonder he's so out of it. Um, excuse me, please let me through!" Draco's mind began to race. Why was that thing on the train to begin with!? As he got lost in thought the group suddenly stopped and Draco ran into Pansy. "Could we just keep moving forward, it really is not that...hard." Everyone seemed to freeze.

The carriages were lined up waiting for students to climb in for their ride up to the castle. They mysteriously began moving once everyone was sitting and Draco assumed it was magic that made them move. He pushed Crabbe and Goyle to go around the lot standing still so Pansy and Blaise followed. They walked behind the Gryffindor Trio and he felt like he had to make up for earlier. "You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted!" The Slytherins sneered at Harry and began to whisper among themselves. Draco felt quite pleased with the reactions from both parties and began to cackle with his classmates. He heard Ron mutter something but they were all laughing too loudly to make out what he had said. He looked towards him to see if there was steam coming from the red headed boy's ears but his eyes caught another's gaze. She looked hurt and her eyes were brimming with tears. Draco felt the blood rush away from his face making him paler than usual. The whole space went quiet and all he could hear was her voice. She turned back so she wouldn't have to look at them and gripped Harry's arm hoping the mockery would be over soon. He could hear her sobs in his head and heard her pleading for it to stop, for Draco to stop. He noticed his hand was touching the emerald stone and he jumped. His hand was no longer in contact and he could finally think clearly. This bloody trick his mother was trying to pull was not going to work! He pushed passed Hermione, harder than he had planned, to stand in front of The Gryffindors. "Did you faint as well, Weasley? Did the little Dementors scare you too?" He threw his head back laughing while trying to maintain eye contact with Ron. The freckles on his face disappeared as his face got hotter and hotter. He was ready to curse something at Draco but everything fell silent. Draco moved very close to Ron so only they could hear the next few words. "I swear on my family's name, you say a word about what happened on the train and I will make this year a living hell for you.." Draco pushed away from Ron and held his arms out as if greeting the three of them. "Come on you ole blokes. Cheer up, we haven't even entered the castle yet! This is going to be a great year, isn't it Crabbe?" Draco began smacking his housemates on their shoulders gesturing to get into one of the carriages. They closed the door and it began moving towards the castle. He fought the urge to look back at the damage he made. His smile faded and he began to stare at his hands. He didn't know why but he felt terrible for shoving Hermione. She truly has done nothing malicious towards him but he felt he had to create the boundary. He had to make sure his unwelcome feelings were kept in check.

All the students had taken their seats at their tables in the Great Hall. All Draco could think about was going to his dormitory to sleep off what happened today. He already knew how Dumbledore's remarks were going to go. Something witty, something forbidden, something directed at Potter, it was always the same. He just wanted to be back in his routine...something he could call normal. The first years were walked in through the middle tables lead by Professor McGonagall. As he watched the timid and anxious first years walk through the Hall he began scanning the different House tables. He noted how some faces have changed while others remained the same. He placed his elbow on the table and rested his head in his palm. He began rambling names down the different tables until he reached the Gryffindors. "Neville, Ginny, Seamus..." he mumbled to himself, "Ron, Harry, Lavender..." he continued down the table. He moved on to Ravenclaw hoping the sorting ceremony would end soon. He started over at Hufflepuff and continued rambling names. "Ron, Harry, Her-mione?" He was confused to see her. Did he skip over her? Pretend like she didn't exist? No one could enter the Great Hall that quietly. The doors are too heavy and they scream with a need for oil in their hinges. She was joking with her two friends when Dumbledore began to speak. She felt his gaze on her so she stared him back. Draco wanted to melt into the floor. His cheeks were flushed and he could feel his palms getting sweaty. He would do anything to become invisible right now. Then he heard her voice again.

 _Who does he think he is!? Just staring at me!? Hello, I'm human. You can't have it both ways. Either be nice or leave me alone!_

He could heard her anger and his jaw dropped slightly. Her scowl lasted for a brief second longer and she snapped her head towards the head master. Draco let out a quiet grumble and ran his fingers through his hair. He watched Dumbledore finish his speech and the food magically appear before him. He grabbed a little bit of everything and ate what he could. There was more chocolate for the feast than what he remembered but he decided to eat it when he heard that it would help with any problems from Dementor attacks. He took a few extra pieces and shoved it in the pockets of his robes for later.

Once the feast was over he could hear the prefects trying to gain their attention. He could feel his body yearning for his bed. As they were leaving he could hear the prefects yelling to stay close. "What a bunch of babies. Why would I want to stand close to any of you?" Draco chuckled and his gang began to follow. They continued to yell to stay close but Draco continued to mock the prefects. He could barely make out what they were saying but he did hear "dementors" and pushed Crabbe and Goyle out of the way to make it towards the front. He was not ready for a second encounter.

They walked further into the castle and the lights began to dim as they continued down the corridor. Their common room was in the dungeons so it was typical for everything to appear darker as they wandered. The flames from the torches created shadow creatures that danced on the walls. This was one of Draco's favorite memories of Hogwarts. He watched them flicker and mold into one another just to part again. They also changed colors the closer to the common room. The yellow-amber flames shifted to an emerald green. They were close to the entrance now and Draco began to let his guard down. He fiddled with his pocket avoiding the stone that was weighing heavily inside. He knew she was thinking of him, it was the only time the stone gained weight. He didn't want to hear her voice anymore, he was tired of her being in his head. But just like before his curiosity got the best of him and he allowed the rock to cradle between his finger tips.

 _I was a fool to think he had changed over break. He's a Malfoy and always will be. He has to have good in him, right? Everyone does. He was so kind at Diagonal Alley and on the train. But he has been so cruel since we've been at Hogwarts. He won't change, he can't. But why did he give me this necklace? It is beautiful but I know he doesn't think I deserve it. Afterall, to him I'm just a mu...mudblood._

The last word caught him off guard. Hermione spoke with such defeat that it left him ashamed, confused, and angry. He couldn't tell if she was having a conversation or was talking to herself but he had heard enough.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he tensed up. "What do you want, Goyle?" He spat at his friend. "Sorry, Draco. I didn't mean to upset you. Did you hear what the password was for this year? I missed it but I figured you'd know." How could Draco expect anything less from his dense friends? "Sorry, I missed it. I was wondering about something else that I wasn't paying attention. Go ask Blaise, he'll know. Then come back and tell me. Go on and get me that password." Goyle looked as jolly as he would on Christmas. He loved doing things for Draco especially if it was only him getting to do special tasks. He rolled his eyes and looked around the common room. Emerald green, glistening silver, and serpents surrounded him as he began to feel the heat dissipate away from himself. He was still angry but he was able to hide it now. Just a few more moments before he could be alone in the dormitory. A few more moments before he could let his anger go.


	6. The Slytherin Common Room

**The Slytherin Common Room**

Draco was trying to keep himself together but his anger and hatred for the Gryffindor continued to plague his mind. He had been sitting in a large leather chair by the fireplace for over an hour. He was surrounded by his fellow house mates who were all third years. Everyone was sharing happy memories from their summers. Draco provided a smile here and there, sometimes he even let out a small laugh. But for the most part his mind was elsewhere. His body wanted to touch the small emerald stone in his pocket but his mind was screaming at him. He pushed his palms together while resting his elbows on his knees. He couldn't close his eyes without a glimpse of her hair shattering his brain. He rested his forehead on his fingers as he looked out the windows. The giant squid seemed more active than usual but he contributed it to the fact that dementors were right outside. A shiver went down his spine as more flashbacks appeared. The anger continued to grow and he had to let it out. "I think I am going to call it a night. My mum is probably worried sick and I should send her an owl to let her know what happened." As Draco started to rise his friends followed. He turned around and rolled his eyes, all he was looking for was some time to himself.

They followed him out of the common room and down another small corridor to their dormitory. The sign read "third years" but he knew it all the same. Blaise rushed forward and pushed the door open. His eyes were twinkling with delight. "I am so glad to be back!" he exhaled into a whisper. Draco saw his trunk at the end of his bed. His was closest to the bathroom, the same bed he chose at the beginning of their first year together. He appreciated the size of the room, it seemed to have grown slightly while they were gone. In the middle of the room was a glowing fire to help keep them warm in their underground palace. The poster beds held deep emerald curtains from the upper portions and had delicate silver threads woven throughout. The sheets were lined with silver trim and the pillows had a serpent design. The quilt was Draco's favorite part of the beds. The fabric was soft as silk yet as warm as wool. The heavy blanket was a rich green with a perfect balance of black. He let out a low hum as he laid flat onto his bed. His feet were no longer on the ground and he felt a huge weight lift from his body. He slowly brought himself to a seated position and opened his trunk. He began to unpack his clothes and towels when he noticed the stone glowing on his bed. He looked over his shoulder and then stared at his room mates. He feared the worse but did not move. Crabbe and Goyle were too busy discussing their chocolate frog cards and Blaise was organizing his desk. Draco felt uneasy with the stone glowing so bright even though it seemed to have no effect on the others in the room. He placed the towels down on his desk and shifted back to his bed. He slipped the stone under his pillow making sure to not touch it. He did not want to hear her voice right now. No one seemed to notice so he continued to unpack as if nothing had happened. He placed his towels in his designated space and finished putting his clothes in his armoire.

Once he had finished he sat back on his bed and observed his thick friends. "What are you two going on about? They are bloody cards! Is this really going to be what we talk about on our first night back?" Draco was exhausted and wanted to sleep but he felt he needed to create some form of leadership before turning in. Blaise cut in before the other two could comment, "Well, Draco, who would you like to talk about?" Blaise had a slight smirk on his face and Draco hated him for it. Blaise had barely talked the previous years so why would he start now? Draco decided to put out this fire before it got any worse. "I have no interest what so ever in Pansy so you can drop it now. I bloody swear if you try to make it a thing you will need a week stay in the hospital wing. I have bigger issues than a stupid little girl." Blaise's grin faded and his skin began to grey. The whole room began to feel colder but Draco didn't care. He got his point across and it was all he needed. Blaise folded his arms and shook his head. He told them he was going to chat with the females in the common room and the other boys followed. Draco waved them on and told them he was going to write to his mother before heading back to the common area. Once they had all left he locked the door and ran to his pillow. It was no longer glowing which he was grateful. He sat cross legged on his bed and held the stone in the cup of his palms.

"How do you work!? Tell me how!"

"My fellow snooper!" the rock exclaimed, "I am a KnowItAll! Would you like me to recite my instruction manual for you?"

Draco did not like the sassy tone coming from the gem. "I will smash you to bits if you don't watch it...just tell me how you work," he lowered his voice in case others decided to come back.

"Okay, sir," the stone whispered mockingly. "Thank you for purchasing a KnowItAll! We are proud to stand by our products but we are not to be held liable for any information that should be heard through this device. You have chosen a wonderful product to help see into other's lives without forcing yourself knowingly into their conversations. To use this product simply unlock the larger device, slide the smaller device inside to create a connection, and claim the name of who you want to listen to. Once this is complete you will be able to listen in on their conversations, both verbally and mentally, as long as they have the smaller device within reach. Shall I continue?"

Draco groaned. Of course he wanted it to continue, he wanted to know how it worked and why it glowed. This was a losing battle but he had to learn how to make it work right. "Please continue," Draco grumbled.

"Alright, sir. Once the device is active you will hear all thoughts and verbal conversations which mention you. Once you are no longer a thought you will not hear their conversations. In order to hear all thoughts you must upgrade to a more complex device. If you are interested in this type of-"

"No! No, I'm not. Please continue with how you work...please." He was trying to not lose his patience.

"Yes, sir. You will know that you are mentioned as your particular KnowItAll will glow. The brighter the glow the more thought is going into the conversation. What makes KnowItAlls on top of the market for spys? Only you can see the glow! Others will think this is a simple "parchment weight" as you called me earlier. If you want even more secrecy you may upgrade to-"

"Stop with this upgrading! Just tell me how YOU work!" He had enough and was ready to throw it against the stone wall.

"Yes, sir. I preferred it when you said please. It was much nicer. Only you can see the glow. When the stone is glowing simply touch the stone and you will hear their conversations. No one else around you will hear or see the glow. Easy as pumpkin pie! Was it delicious or what!?"

He thought back to the feast. It was delicious and he could easily go for some more of it right now. He said thank you to the stone and placed it on his desk. He took out some parchment and began writing a letter to his mother. He did not want his father to know about the gift because he knew he'd want him to spy on other people and not some silly girl. So he decided to keep it brief and place as little detail as possible.

Mum,

Made it safe. Train was stopped but no one was seriously hurt. The gift was...a surprise to say the least. Thank you and I love you.

Yours forever,

Draco

He rolled up the parchment and tied a small string around it. He went out into the common room and headed for the door to the dungeons. A prefect stood up and blocked him from leaving. "Sorry, Draco. But we can't have students wandering the halls alone. Especially at night. It's posted on our rules list this year. Dumbledore's orders. He wants us all safe from the dementors. If it's a letter I can take it to the Owlery in the morning." He shoved the letter into his pocket so she couldn't take it out of his hand. "Thanks but I'll just wait for tomorrow. It's not that important." They exchanged nods and Draco turned on his heels. He walked up to his friends and decided to sit on the arm rest of one of the big leather chairs. His eyes locked with Pansy's as she blushed a shade too pink for his liking. He immediately glared at Blaise who had the same smirk from earlier across his face. Draco groaned, rolled off the chair, and left the room to return to his bed. He was ready for a good sleep to try and forget everything that happened today.


End file.
